Know your prime minister aspirants

Race for top slot heats up, with five candidates vying for post of prime minister. DESIGN: FAIZAN DAWOOD

ISLAMABAD:

Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan

Declared assets: Rs16.7 million

Political career: Former chief minister
of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from 1997 to 1999; federal minister for railways in 2008. Also served as a senator from March 2003, but resigned in 2008 when he won the NA-17 seat in the 2008 general elections.

Controversy: Reportedly involved in a wheat scandal case. He remained in Attock Fort jail for three years.

Makhdoom Shahabuddin

Declared assets: Rs127.5 million

Political career: Contested his first election from NA-148 in 1988 on a PML ticket, losing to his uncle who contested on a PPP ticket. Recently elected chairman of the southern Punjab chapter of the PPP. Part of PPP’s central executive committee.

Controversy: Alleged to have issued unauthorised quota for the import of ephedrine as health minister. Anti-Narcotics Force issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him, hours after he was nominated by the PPP as the next premier.

Raja Pervez Ashraf

Declared assets: Rs62million

Political career: Elected twice from NA-51, Gujjar Khan. Appointed federal minister for water and power after the 2008 elections. Was again appointed a minister in the recently-dissolved cabinet.

Controversy: Faces corruption allegation for receiving kickbacks in rental power projects and buying properties in London. The Supreme Court also directed NAB to take action against Ashraf for his alleged involvement in rental power case.

Qamar Zaman Kaira

Declared assets: Rs57 million

Political career: Contested elections from NA-106, served as information minister twice – between 2009 and 2011, and in the recent Cabinet that was disqualified by the Supreme Court. Also served as minister for Kashmir affairs and Northern Areas, and acting Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Controversy: None.

Maulana Fazlur Rahman

Declared assets: Rs5 million

Political career: Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, a right-wing politician and cleric, and currently serving as the president of the Assembly of Islamic Clerics. Contested, and won, his first election from NA-18 in 1988. Lost in 1990 and 1997.

Controversy: Allegedly possess military land measuring up to 600 kanals in DI Khan. Allegedly won out-of-turn tenders for diesel supplies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in second Benazir government.

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Reader Comments (9)

Nation of 190 million people with these corrupt people to represent in 21st century. I feel pity for the country and its residents. We are really in decay. These faces are predominantly from two parties that rule the country in one shape or another for last 30 years. I think we couldn’t produce leadership here.

SMAK belongs to my constituency of NA 17. We are proud of his nomination and services to the nation. Has the wisdom of being the wisest of all leaders among our political leadership and is highly respected by all political parties. Is well read and a learned leader who has complete knowledge of the needs of the people of Pakistan. Is self-made and at this stage of life has only one priority in life i.e. the well-being of the people of Pakistan. Is steadfast and loyal and patriot of the highest order The wheat scam is an event of the distant past, Won his freedom during Musharraf’s Regime coming out clean and without changing his loyalty to his party leadership. Stands like a rock to the cause he considers right and speaks with a clear mind. We wish him the best of luck and is the right choice to be the PM of Pakistan.

@SARDAR MUHAMMAD IBR I am also from Abbottabad and SMAK is just a stunt from PML-N to gain grounds back in Hazara, unfortunately he does not enjoy any of the credentials mentioned by my brother, Kaira seems reasonable candidate among the five nominated.

I am sick and tired of seeing these old faces take the best of people time and time again. We need fresh faces and it has to be Imran Khan. Seriously, not one individual from the PPP, PML-N, PLM-Q, MQM, and JUI-F has a clean record. All of them have some sort of corruption allegation. Pathetic, that is why PTI is the way to go.